This scripture tells the story of Jesus’ conversion to his own ethic of love. Through his encounter with this Gentile woman, Jesus grows in awareness of the far-reaching nature of God’s love.
Initially, we witness Jesus discriminating against this woman on the basis of gender and race. He intends to dismiss her, proclaiming that his message is limited to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” She is an outsider, undeserving of God’s love and grace. How puzzling to see Jesus’ actions resembling those of the Pharisees!
But Matthew invites us to use this encounter to examine the hidden chambers of our own hearts. Do we treat others who are different from us as inferior, believing them to be less worthy of God’s love? Do we feel superior to others because we have more money and status, a different ethnicity or race, a certain gender or sexual orientation, a specific denomination or religion? If so, we have cut ourselves off from the Jesus community, just as Jesus initially cut himself off from relationship with the Canaanite woman.
Jesus believes he came to convert the misdirected house of Israel and, yet, this encounter reflects his own misperception and misdirection. Through the Canaanite woman’s wit and persistence, Jesus comes to understand that his message of God’s saving love is meant for everyone! God intends to leave no one out—no one. Furthermore, Jesus does not try to change the woman before he responds to her. He requires no conversion. He accepts her as she is and acknowledges her great faith. The work of Christians is to love others, not to change them.